Lettering devices



May 16, 1961 R. l.. NEwcoMB LETTERING DEVICES Filed Nov. 2, 1959 BY W United States Patent O LETTERING DEVICES Richard L. Newcomb, 204 S. Irving St., Denver, Colo.

Filed Nov. 2, 1959, Ser. No. 850,207

2 Claims. (Cl. 33-23) This invention relates to a lettering device, more par` ticularly for use by draftsmen and the like, for placing lettering on drawings. It is, however, not limited to this particular use, but will be found useful wherever it is desired to copy and reproduce letters, iigures, designs, etc., on any sheet material.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a highly efficient, easily used and exceedingly accurate device whieh will enable anyone to skillfully reproduce letters, iigures, or designs in any desired shape or size.

Another object is to incorporate in a lettering device automatic means for immediately raising the lettering pen above the marking surface upon the completion of each letter, ligure or design so as to prevent mutilation of the latter.

A further object is to incorporate in a lettering device means for accurately and uniformly spacing letters or figures at any desired spacing intervals.

Other objects and advantages reside in the detail construction of the invention, which is designed for simplicity, economy, and elliciency. These will become more apparent from the following description.

In the following detailed description of the invention, reference is had to the accompanying drawing which forms a part hereof. Like numerals refer to like parts in all views of the drawing and throughout the description.

In the drawing:

Fig. l is a plan view of the improved lettering device;

Fig. 2 is a front elevational view thereof;

Fig. 3 is a cross section taken on the line 3-3, Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail section taken on the line 44, Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 is a similarly enlarged detail section of a pattern follower stylus unit employed in the improved lettering device.

The improved lettering device comprises an elongated rectangular base plate adapted to be placed ort the surface of a drawing, indicated at 62 in Fig. 3, and against a T-square or straight edge of a drafting machine. Two guide tracks 11 are secured to the base plate 10 in any desired manner, such as by means of suitable attachment screws 12. The guide tracks 11 are spaced apart in parallel relation to slidably guide an elongated template strip 13 across the upper surface of the base plate 10. The template strip carries any desired series of patterns, such as pattern letters 17, engraved or otherwise indented therein.

A round, elongated slide rod 14 is supported at its extremities in supporting ears 55 arising from adjacent each extremity of the base plate 10. The slide rod 14 is supported in spaced parallel relation to the upper surface of the base plate 10 and to the guide tracks 11. An elongated Slide tube 15 is slidably mounted on the rod 14 so as to be movable throughout the entire length of the latter. Movement of the slide tube 15 along the rod can be resisted as desired by proper setting of a brake screw 16. A at mounting plate 18 is secured on or formed integrally with the slide tube 15 and projects rearwardly Patented May 16, 1961 "ice from the top of the tube l5 over the base plate 10 and is supported by means of a leveling screw 19 threaded through the plate 18 and terminating in a swivelled base shoe 20 which rests upon the rear guide track 11.

A square bar sleeve 21 is mounted on or formed integrally with the upper surface of the mounting plate 18 at right angles to the slide rod 14. A square pivot supporting bar 22 is positioned in the tube 21 and extends forwardly and rearwardly therefrom. The bar 22 can be locked in the extended position by means of a set screw 23. The rear extremity of the pivot supporting bar 22 is bent horizontally at right angles, as shown at 24, and terminates in the tixedly-mounted, tubular ball socket shell 25 positioned to receive a socket ball 26 formed on the rear extremity of a universally hinged bar 27. The ball 26 is maintained in the socket shell 25 by means of a ball clamp screw 28 threaded therein.

The above construction enables the universally hinged bar 27 to be swung in any angular direction from its universal pivot in the ball shell 25. Any lost motion occurring in this universal joint can be taken up by tightening the clamp screw 28.

The universally hinged bar 27 extends forwardly over the mounting plate 18 beneath a vertically offset holddown strip 29 which is secured to the mounting plate 18 by means of a suitable attachment screw 30. The universally hinged bar 27 carries an adjustable, notched, rear rod clamp 3l, and an adjustable, notched, forward rod clamp 32, provided with suitable set screws 33. The rod clamps 31 and 32 have rectangular notches in their bottoms which t over the square universally hinged bar 27 and are clamped thereon by means of their respective set screws as shown in Fig. 2.

The left extremity of a pen holder bar 34 is pvotally mounted in the notch of the rear rod clamp 31 upon a suitable hinge screw 35 and the left extremity of a stylus bar 36 is similarly pivotally mounted in the notch of the forward rod clamp 32 upon a suitable hinge screw 37. The right extremity of the pen holder bar 34 is similarly mounted in a notch in a similar second rear rod clamp 38 upon a hinge screw 39 and the right extremity of the stylus bar 36 is similarly mounted in a notch in a similar second forward rod clamp 40 upon a hinge screw 41. The rod clamps 38 and 40 are provided with set screws l54 similar to the set screws 33 previously described by means of which, they can be locked in any desired position along a separating bar 42.

A pen holder block 43, provided with a bottom notch for receiving the pen holder bar 34, is fitted over the latter and locked in any longitudinal position there along by means of a pen holder set screw 44. The pen holder block 43 is provided with a projecting ledge 45 having a threaded opening for receiving a Le-Roy or similar conventional fountain type lettering pen 46.

A stylus tube 47 is mounted for longitudinal adjustment on the stylus bar 36 in any desired manner. As illustrated, the stylus tube 47 is provided with a hollow horizontal rectangular lug 48 through which the stylus bar 36 is passed and which can be locked in any desired longitudinal position on the stylus bar by means of a stylus set screw 49. A stylus pin 50 is vertically movable in the stylus tube 47 and is constantly urged downwardly by means of a compression spring 51 which is compressed between a shoulder 52 on the stylus pin and a cap 53 threaded into the upper extremity of the stylus tube.

The slide tube 15 is counterbored at one extremity to receive a compression spring 56, a tilting clamp ring 57, a bearing washer 58, and a threaded stop bushing 59. A linger lever projects from the tilting clamp ring 57 through a longitudinal slot 61 in the side of the slide tube 15. If a users thumb be placed against the forwardly projecting extremity of the pivot supporting bar 22, with his foreiinger against the finger lever 60, he can, by clamping the thumb toward the finger, tilt the clamp ring 57 to cause it to tightly grip the slide rod 14 so that the thumb will move the slide tube 15, with all of its supported elements, to the right until the spring 56 is fully compressed. When released, the spring 56 will return the clamp ring 57 to its former position against the bearing washer 58 ready for a second similar interval of movement. The intervals of movement or spacing can be preset by adjusting the stop bushing 59.

ln use, the base plate is positioned over a drawing to be lettered so that the lettering pen 46 will be in proper position for the first letter of a word when the stylus pin is engaged in the pattern 17 of that letter. The template strip 13 is held stationary by the ngers of the left hand while the right hand presses the stylus pin 50 downwardly and around the groove of the desired letter. The downward movement of the stylus tube 47 causes the lettering pen 46 to move downwardly into contact with the drawing so that as the point of the stylus pin 50 follows the groove of the letter, the lettering pen 46 will reproduce that letter on the drawing at a reduced scale.

When the first letter has been completed, the projecting pivot supporting bar 22 and the nger lever 60 are gripped with the left hand causing the mounting plate 18 to move to the right a letter space as preset by the setting of the stop bushing 59. The template strip 13 is now moved to the right or left with the lingers of the left hand to place the pattern 17 forthe second letter in proper position be low the stylus pin S0 and the operation is repeated while the stylus bar is held against longitudinal movement with the fingers of the left hand while the right hand grips the stylus tube 47 to cause the stylus pin 50 to follow the pattern groove of the second letter 17. Thus, it can be seen that the pattern letters contained upon the template strip 13 can be rapidly and easily reproduced in their proper order at uniform spacing by the above procedure.

The letters can be reprdouced in various sizes and with various slants if desired by simply varying the positions of the various rod clamps 3l, 32, 38 and 40, the position pen holder block 43, and the position of the stylus tube 47. For instance, by moving the second rear rod clamp 38 forwardly on the separating bar 42, as indicated at A, in Fig. 1, the letters can be caused to slant to the right any desired degree; by reversing the position of the pen holder block 43 on the pen holder bar 34, as shown in broken line at B in Fig. l, the letters can be caused to slant to the left at any desired degree; by moving the rear rod clamp 3l rearwardly, as shown in broken lines at C," the letters can be reduced in width; and by moving the rear rod clamp 31 forwardly, as indicated at D in Fig. l, the width of the letters can be increased.

To facilitate the presetting of the device for letters of a given size or slant, the bars 27, 34, 36, and 42 are provided with indented colored calibration markings 64 which are visible through sighting peek holes 63 formed in the rod clamps. This enables the operator to quickly set up the device in accordance with a color code to uniformly reproduce any given lettering. Other letter designs to suit the fancy of the user, can be obtained by manipulating the positions of the various clamps and locking them in position with their respective set screws. All of these many variations can be produced from the same template strip 13. For letters of other types and cases, such as lower case letters, etc., additional template strips may be provided which can be quickly and easily slid into place between the guide tracks 11.

While a specific form of the improvement has been describe-d and illustrated herein, it is to be understood that the same may be varied within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed and desired secured by Letters Patent is:

l. A lettering device comprising: a transversally elongated, at, base plate; two guide tracks on and extending transversally of said base plate in parallel, spaced relation; a pattern letter strip carrying pattern letters slidably positioned between said tracks; a slide bar rigidly supported above said base plate forwardly of and parallel with said guide tracks; a slide tube surrounding` and slidable along said slide bar; a relatively flat mounting plate afixed to and extending rearwardly from said slide tube over said pattern strip; a lettering pen; a pattern follower stylus; means for moving said slide tube along said slide bar in uniform preset intervals; a bar sleeve mounted on said mounting plate at right angles to said slide bar; a pivot supporting bar adjustably mounted in said bar sleeve and extending rearwardly therefrom, said pivot supporting bar being bent adjacent its rear extremity so as to be parallel to said slide bar and having a ball socket formed therein; a hinged bar having a ball formed at one end universally pivoted in the ball socket on the rear extremity of said supporting `bar and extending horizontally and forwardly therefrom over said mounting plate; a pen holder bar; a stylus bar; said pen holder bar and said stylus bar being pivotally mounted on and extending horizontally from said hinged bar; and a separating bar pivotally connecting the extremities of said pen holder and stylus bars together, said lettering pen being mounted on said pen holder bar and said pattern follower stylus being mounted on said stylus bar.

2. A lettering device as described in clajrn 1 having means for preventing vertical movement of said hinged bar relative to said mounting plate.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 420,484 Whitney Feb. 4, 1890 767,938 Gray Aug. 16, 1904 810,990 Stevens Ian. 30, 1906 1,784,152 McDonald Dec. 9, 1930 2,050,058 Keulel Aug. 4, 1936 2,496,781 Eichmann Feb. 7, 1950 2,620,563 Derwen et al. Dec. 9. 1952 2,734,271 Moriarty Feb. 14. 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 637,872 France Feb. 7, 1928 

